blank

BLANGK/blæŋk/

Noun pluralblanks

Verbblanks, blanking, blanked

33 meanings of blank

Practice

1
adjective
With nothing written, printed, or marked on it, and no features to notice.
Like a clean page with nothing on it yet.
She handed me a blank sheet of paper.
The form was still blank when he turned it in.
UsageSay leave it blank.
Note
2
space to fill innouncountable
An empty space on a form where you write an answer.
Like an empty box on a test that you need to fill in.
Write your name in the blank at the top.
Students filled in the blanks on the worksheet.
UsageSay fill in the blanks.
Similarspace, field, box, gap
3
empty lookadjectivefiguratively
Showing no expression on the face, often because of not understanding.
Like staring at a screen that has been turned off.
He gave me a blank look when I asked the question.
Her face went completely blank during the lecture.
UsageSay a blank look or a blank stare.
Similarexpressionless, vacant, empty, uncomprehending, impassive
4
nounfigurativelycountable
An empty space or time where something should be, or something that turns out to be nothing.
Like a gap in a fence where a board is missing.
There was a strange blank in the schedule that afternoon.
The years after the war felt like a blank in her life.
Similargap, void, hiatus
Note
5
adjective
Having no thoughts in your mind at that moment, so you cannot think what to say or do.
Like an empty page in your head with nothing written on it.
My mind went blank during the test.
She felt completely blank and couldn't think of anything to write.
UsageSay my mind went blank.
Similarempty, vacant
6
gun cartridgenounabbreviationellipsis
Short for blank cartridge: a gun round that makes a bang but shoots no bullet.
The starter fired a blank to begin the race.
Soldiers trained with blanks during the exercise.
UsageSay a gun fires blanks.
7
shut outverbtransitive
To stop the other team or player from scoring any points.
Like keeping a door shut so no one can get through.
Our goalie helped blank the visiting team all night.
They blanked the home side three to nothing.
8
printed formnounUScountable
A form or paper with empty spaces left to be filled in later.
Like a fill-in-the-blank worksheet you complete with your own answers.
The clerk handed him a blank to complete with his details.
She signed several blanks for the office to fill in later.
Similarform
Note
9
nouncountable
A piece of material roughly shaped and ready to be finished, stamped, or recorded on.
The machine stamps a picture onto each blank to make a new coin.
Workers cut blanks from big metal sheets and then shape them into parts.
Similarworkpiece
Note
10
verbintransitive
To suddenly become empty, or to suddenly be unable to think of or remember something.
Like your mind going empty just when you need to remember something.
I always blank on names when I meet new people.
The screen blanked for a moment during the power surge.
UsageSay I blanked on her name.
11
memory gapnouncountable
An empty place in your memory where something has been forgotten.
Like a missing page torn out of a notebook of your memories.
There's a complete blank where that whole evening should be.
After the accident, the hours before it were just a blank.
UsageSay I drew a blank or it's a complete blank.
Note
12
eraseverbtransitive
To wipe out or erase something completely.
Like wiping a whiteboard clean so nothing is left.
Please blank the screen before the next presentation.
The technician blanked all the old recordings.
Similarerase, delete, clear, wipe
13
nouncountable
An effort that gets no result, used in the phrase shooting blanks, often in sports.
Our team was shooting blanks all game and lost 1–0.
Their best player has been shooting blanks for weeks, so the coach put him on the bench.
Note
14
nounslangfigurativelycountable
Semen (a man's sperm fluid) that cannot make a woman pregnant, used in the slang phrase 'shooting blanks'.
After two years of trying for a baby, he began to worry he was shooting blanks.
After their third child, he had a small operation so he would shoot blanks.
UsagePeople say shooting blanks. It can hurt people trying to have a baby.
Note

Less common meanings

15
adjective
Holding gunpowder but no bullet, so it makes noise without firing anything.
Like a toy gun that pops loudly but shoots nothing.
The soldiers fired blank rounds during the drill.
Make sure the ammunition is blank before the rehearsal.
Oppositelive
Note
16
wild tilenouncountable
A game piece that can be used as any letter and is worth no points.
Like a wild card that can become any card you need.
She played a blank as the missing S to finish the word.
He had two blanks left on his rack.
Note
17
typed spacenouncountable
The empty space you make when you press the space bar.
Like the gap you leave between two words when you write.
Insert a blank between the two words.
The password must not contain any blanks.
Similarspace
18
nouncountable
A dash written instead of a letter or word that is left out.
Like a short line that stands in for a word someone left out.
The author replaced the swear word with a blank.
The old book prints the town's name as a D and a blank.
Similardash, gap
19
fruitlessadjective
Ending with no result or success, so that nothing is gained.
Like fishing all day and catching nothing.
The rescue team's long search came up blank.
Our long search for the lost ring came up blank.
UsageSay a search came up blank.
Similarfruitless, futile, barren, unproductive
Oppositefruitful, productive
20
extra leaf (book)nouncountable
A page in a book with nothing printed on it.
Like an empty page at the back of a notebook.
The bookseller noted that the old copy was missing its final blank.
The old volume had several blanks between chapters.
21
ignoreverbslangtransitive
To deliberately ignore someone and act like they aren't there.
Like walking past someone as if they were invisible.
She blanked me at the party last night.
Don't blank your old friends just because you're busy.
UsageBlank a person: ignore them. Blank on a name: forget it.
Similarignore, snub
Oppositeacknowledge, greet
Note
22
dominonouncountable
A domino with no dots on one or both of its ends.
He played a blank to block the open end of the line.
She was stuck holding three domino blanks when the game ended.
Note
23
adjective
Total and complete, with nothing held back.
His proposal met with blank refusal.
They watched in blank dismay as the bridge fell.
UsageSay in blank disbelief.
Similarutter, sheer, complete, total, absolute
24
nounrare
Poetry that has a regular rhythm but does not rhyme.
25
nounobsolete
The white spot at the center of a target, used as the point to aim at.
Kent. See better, Lear, and let me still remain / The true blank of thine eye. (Act I, scene 2)
1606, William Shakespeare, King Lear
26
noun
A control sample with none of the substance being tested, used to check the test works.
27
verb
To stop a part from working by covering it with rough, churning air.
28
adjectivearchaic
Looking pale or white because it has little or no color.
To the blanc Moone / Her office they preſcrib'd,
1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost
29
nounobsolete
An old small French coin, or a similar English coin used in France.
Whosoeuer brought a fagot before the kynges tent, he shulde haue a blanke of Fraunce.
1523, Jean Froissart, transl. by John Bourchier
30
nounobsolete
Being so confused that you do not know what to do.
31
noun
A lottery ticket that does not win a prize.
32
noun
Temporary words in a British draft law, printed in sloping type, that a committee will settle later.
33
noun
A very tiny old unit for measuring weight.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of blank apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Old French blanc meaning "white," which came from a Frankish word for "gleaming" or "white."

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

English blank derives from Old French blanc. en.wikipedia.org
Old French blanc meant white. en.wiktionary.org
Old French blanc ultimately came from a Frankish word meaning gleaming or white. en.wiktionary.org